The Lord of the Rings
by KinnittyKittywake
Summary: 10th Walker LoTR, orginally written as a gift for a friend. Aragorn/OC (originally Legolas but she changed her mind). Mostly Movie version, but with book references. Rated T just incase. Reviews and suggestions welcome
1. Chapter 1

"Freak!"  
"Come back here weirdo!"  
The shouts rang out in the air, and the young woman increased her pace.  
Why oh why had she let it be known where her hobby was? It was her own fault for being such an oddball. Too much reading, that's what her aunt said.  
"Come on then, show us how to fight!" sneered one of her pursuers.  
She hadn't meant to be so 'odd'. She had always liked history, the battles fascinated her. She had read about the Welsh longbow men and joined an archery club with her allowance, and finally found somewhere where she could make friends.  
The footsteps behind her started to fade; she was losing them.

She ran on until she came to the edge of the town, vaulted over a fence and into the countryside. She stopped, breathing hard. It was close; a storm was coming.  
She wished for a minute she had her inhaler with her, but remembered what her Godfather had always said about it. "If you use it too much, you'll need it too often". She felt a small pang at the memory of him. He had been her father's closest friend, as far as she knew. Her father had been killed when she was a tiny child, her mother gone just a few days after Maon's own birth, and it was her Godfather who had taken her in and raised her.  
Damn her aunt for moving to Wales! It was ironic that she was picked on most for her desire to be like the welshmen of old. She smiled mirthlessly to herself. Ironic also that since they had moved she hadn't been able to do anything vaguely like that.  
She shook her head and walked onwards, pondering. Her aunt was not an unkind woman, but she was not friendly to Maon. She couldn't forgive Maon for the death of her mother, and had viewed her Godfather with complete suspicion. As far as her Aunt was concerned, Maon was tainted by him, a bloody nuisance.

Her cousins disliked her on principle, and so she had found herself more or less alone in the world when her Godfather had been killed 10 years previously.

So much about her was different to her contemporaries, she couldn't help but understand why they bullied her. _People lash out when they're frightened_ she thought to herself.  
She had a worked as the groom for her cousins 6 horses. Her cousins were budding show riders, but didn't like to look after their horses. Far too much manual work involved. That had started out as a way to humiliate her, but it had backfired. Maon had been able to spend all her free time in the stables, and then the weekend with the archery club, so keeping the time with her relatives to an absolute bare minimum.

Thunder growled overhead, and Maon glanced skywards. Too soon to go back to town, they'd still be hanging around for her.  
21 and still bullied by the local thugs! She shook her head again and hurried into the trees; there was bound to be somewhere to doss out for a few hours. She'd lost the knack of dealing with people when she'd come under guardianship of her aunt.

This time though she knew what had angered them. She had been watching a girl whipping her pony at a jump, and had lost her rag. She had run into the ring, pulled the girl off the animal and led the sweating pony away to it's stall. Shortly afterwards the girls brothers had come to see her.

Maon and her relatives had only moved there a couple of months earlier, so she didn't know the lie of the land yet. _Mentally or physically_ she thought dryly. A rocky hill was up ahead, she hurried towards it. There was bound to be somewhere to shelter among the stones.

On close inspection, there was an entrance into the hill. _Must have been a mine once _ she thought to herself. Thunder growled again and, calculating her chances were better in the hill then on top of it, she stepped in cautiously. Taking her phone out of her pocket, she used it like a torch to see her surroundings. A long dark tunnel ahead.  
Maon couldn't help it; she had never been able to resist exploring old things, which had once led to an unfortunate incident involving a school trip to a castle and an oubliette. She started to edge softly forwards into the dark, her phone held before her like a lantern. She had been exploring for some time and was quite some distance in when she came to a fork in the path, an offshoot to the left. She leaned in it, and saw it sloped away down into the dark.  
A rumble echoed from outside and she startled back, banging her head.  
She rubbed her head, and looked back down the main passage. A noise caught her attention, and she squinted into the dark towards it, frowning. It sounded like men, very far away.  
She started to walk slowly towards it, wondering who on earth could be down there. She kept onwards, and the noises changed. There was a bang, a crash and rumble. Then the sound of screams and shouts. Maon froze.

Her conscience got the better of her, and she started to hurry towards the noises. Then the tunnel began to shake, there was a roar of stone crashing down ahead. Maon dropped her phone as her balance went, and she stumbled, pitching forwards to a low wall. She banged her head and fell forward onto the ground, darkness enveloping her.


	2. Chapter 2

Dust and debris from the rockfall hung in the air, cloying at the fellowship, making it difficult to breath.

The light from Gandalf's staff barely breached the dark of the mines.

"We now have but one choice. We must face the long dark of Moria." He said grimly "Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world."  
The hobbits looked at each other and drew together instinctively, the men kept their hands close to their swords and Legolas gripped his bow firmly.  
Only Gimli did not heed Gandalf's words; he had not heard them, his mind to full of horror at the wholesale death around them.

"Quietly now." Gandalf spoke. "It's a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence goes unnoticed."

* * *

Maon's eyes opened heavily. There appeared to be a war going on in her head. She groaned and sat up slowly, one hand going to her bruised temple, the other reaching around her for her phone.  
Her probing fingers found something, but she felt jagged plastic at her fingertips.  
She shook her head and stood up. Her head swam and she reached out for the wall. Disorientated, dizzy and starting to feel frightened, she edged along slowly in a direction she hoped was the way out.

Her foot brushed something and she reached down to see what it was. She frowned. That couldn't possibly be right. Her fingers probed a little more and then she gasped in horror.  
Skulls did not feature on what she expected in a mine.

Despite the dark, she squeezed her eye's tight shut and walked on.

* * *

The fellowship travelled in silence, passing the un-shrouded dead on their way. They were over halfway through, and had been travelling for much of the third day when they reached a junction of 3 passages.  
Gandalf frowned. "I have no memory of this place"

He sat down on a stone, facing the 3 passageways, and the fellowship also sat down.

Frodo looked around, and glanced into a deep pit of mine workings. He saw something and rushed to Gandalf.  
"There's something down there!"  
"Yes. It's Gollum" said Gandalf without looking around. "He's been following us for 3 days"  
Frodo looked shocked "He escaped the dungeons of Barad Dur!"  
"Escaped, or was set loose"  
Frodo looked around to where Gollum had been seen. "It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance!" He said vehemently  
Gandalf looked at Frodo sharply. "Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death, and some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise can not see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or evil before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many."  
Frodo was taken aback, and looked away. He sank onto a stone beside Gandalf. "I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened."  
Gandalf looked at him kindly ""So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, in which case you also were meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought." He smiled and glanced back at the passages with a small laugh "It's that way!"  
Everyone looked up. "He's remembered!" Said Merry  
"No" said Gandalf "But the air doesn't smell so foul down here" he leaned down to the hobbit "When in doubt, always follow your nose!

* * *

Maon was still hugging the wall when her foot came against something hard. She risked opening her eyes, and looked up a long flight of steps leading into more darkness.  
She stood frozen and frightened at the bottom when she heard voices from above her.  
She backed away instinctively, and found herself in a shadowed alcove.  
A light descended the stairs, held by a man in long robes. She squinted against this sudden bright in the dark, and could make out 8 companions to this man. 5 of them children by their height.  
She frowned. _School party perhaps. They must know the way out._  
"Excuse me?" She spoke softly.  
There was a brief sense of movement, a noise of drawn steel and she felt the point of a blade against her neck.  
Her eyes widened in shock and she froze.  
The fellowship regarded the figure trapped beneath Aragorn's sword.  
Gandalf closed his eyes for a moment, as though listening to something that only he could hear.  
Maon blinked, eye still wide, and focused down the length of steel that was held at her neck. It was held by a tall man, dark in hair and wiry in body. There were two other men close behind him, one heavily set and one who looked vaguely effeminate in appearance until you took in the bow he held.  
She closed her eyes and gulped. Bows she was more at home with and this one would annihilate her if the blonde lad let loose the arrow at this range.  
They all wore strange clothes that reminded her strongly of pictures in the more romantic history books.

"What manner of creature are you to stalk us in the dark places?" growled the man holding the sword.  
Maon opened her eyes, gulped but couldn't speak.  
"Lower your sword Aragorn" Gandalf spoke, looking intently at Maon."Step forth, that we may see you better"  
The sword was removed from her neck and she raised her hands slowly, stepping forward from the alcove as bidden.

Pippin gasped. "It's a woman!" Maon's head snapped round to the hobbit. _this is no child_ she thought none of them are she looked around the group's smaller members, before looking back up to the old man with the light.

"How did you come to be in the mines, lady?" it was the dark haired man, Aragorn, who spoke now. Maon looked at him mutely, and gulped. She and her voice had never had a good relationship and it had deteriated further when she joined her aunts household. It had always failed her when she needed it. Her aunt had thought it was funny, as her name translated roughly into 'silence'.

Gandalf spoke now, his eyes never leaving Maon's face "She is not from our world Aragorn. Nor our time. Yet I feel she is here for a reason"  
He glanced at Aragorn before looking back at her "lady, have you any knowledge of where you are?"  
She shook her head  
"Have you any weapons?"  
She shook her head again  
"Have you no voice? You can lower your hands now" he added kindly "You need not fear of us"  
Maon lowered her hands, gulped again, opened her mouth and frowned at the lack of words.  
She swallowed hard and tried again; the resultant voice hoarse and quiet  
"M-my name is Maon. I came into an abandoned mine to shelter from the storm. I heard voices, I followed the sound. There was an earthquake or rockfall or something, and I hit my head. I woke up here and could not find my way out" she paused, aware of how stupid it sounded "t-this is not the mine I walked into, I think. When I came in there were no skeletons.." Her voice tailed off.

"By some magic or devilry you have come to us, and my heart tells me you have a purpose in this quest" Gandalf looked around at the fellowship "We have tarried too long. We must continue now lest our presence, and that of our guest, is noticed." He turned to Aragorn "Do not let our guest stray"


	3. Chapter 3

Maon kept her eyes down as the group moved on. One skill her unfortunate association with her peers had taught her was how to look at people through her periprial vision, and she used that now.  
The man charged with her keep, Aragorn, was a head taller than her. She herself was 5'6, which meant that this man had to be over 6'. The sword by his side, she calculated, therefore had to be at least 4' long. She swallowed hard.  
The lad with the bow; he was smaller, lighter. Didn't look a day older than her, even if she was a little worn beyond her years. Maon smirked to herself. _Now is not the time to be thinking about your looks girl!_ The bow, now that she could focus on. The bow gave her comfort. A semi-recurve, it was just a little smaller than her. A war bow, with at least 100lb draw on it.  
Maon though with a pang to her own archery. She had preferred her longbow, although she had proven to be quite competent with a recurve horse-bow until her cousin had seen her borrowing her pony. Unconsciously, she flexed her back where a handful of scars bore testimony to her cousins fury and her riding crop.

Some of her friends at the archery club had thought that she was mad wanting to use the same technology that had won the battle of Agincourt and insisted that the only way forward was with modern bows covered in assistance gadgetry, but they had been happy to shoot by her side none the less. She missed the archery club.  
Returning her thoughts to the people she was with now, she eyed up the other man, he was tall as well but stocky. Muscle, alot of muscle. _Must be from carrying that bloody great shield around_ she thought. He had a strange look in his eye, and she didn't like it. It put her in mind of her cousins; calculating, brooding. Power driven perhaps.  
The midgets. Four of them had big hairy feet. One of them had a big hairy face. That one carried an axe. Maon didn't want to think too closely on that; axes to her mind weren't the weapons of the sane.  
The four with funny feet had short swords. 2 were complaining of hunger to each other, 1 was silent and bowed_. worth keeping an eye on_ she thought. The last one kept a close eye on the quiet one. _Like a batman in the wars_  
This left only the old man for her attention. Maon raised her head slightly to look at him. Grey. All grey. Like a ghost. She shuddered and forced herself to look again. He was tall, but stooped. He wore a pointed hat. _Plus staff. Wizard_. _You have got to be kidding me _she thought, and cast her eyes back down.

For her study of the fellowship, she was being studied back. Aragorn watched her carefully, but discreetly. Her mode of dress was odd, she wore fitted breechs, and had supple, knee high boots on, which simply looked like an odd version of what he would expect a riding man to wear. She wore a pale blue shirt tucked into these, which was stiff around the neck. The sleeves were rolled up to the elbow. Over the shirt, she had a sort of jerkin, that fitted snugly around her body. It was made of a black fabric and held together by buttons. A silver chain ran from one button into a pocket.  
She was lean, with broader shoulders then he was used to seeing on a woman. Her face was thin, and her jaw line tense. Hardly surpising though. She had dark hair, as far as he could see, similar in colour to that of a mink, pulled away from her face and folded into a ball on the back of her head, held in place with a black ribbon. She had 3 small hoops in the lobes of her ears, and one hoop through the cartilage of her left.  
Although her head was bowed, her back was ramrod straight. She stepped lightly, and quietly. As he watched, she flinched slightly and a tremor ran over her back.

"Let me risk a little more light" The grey man, who was leading, paused. The stone atop his staff glowed brighter and the darkness enveloping receded back. "Behold, the great realm of the dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf". All the party gazed around them at their surrounds, shown now in stark relief. "Well there's an eye opener and no mistake" breathed one of the short people. Maon gazed at the pillars, their tops partially lost in darkness that wasn't penetrated by the light from the staff; huge baulks of stone that had been intricately carved and rose up to meet the vaulted roof. One piece of stone, from top to bottom. She swallowed. Whoever, whatever, had built this place were clearly not to be messed with.

The group walked on for some time, the grey man leading. The grand hall narrowed, and more details in the architecture became clearer to see. Maon was lost in these details, her mind blank to anything but what her eyes showed her. "NO", the dwarf with the hairy face shattered Maon's blankness as he broke from the group and ran to a doorway, it's entrance littered with skeletons. "Gimli!" the grey man spoke sharply but followed after the errant dwarf, as did the rest of the party.  
Maon did not move, her eye lingering on the corpses. The stocky man jabbed her in the back as he strode past her, signalling she should go too.

"No.. No.. No.." the one known as Gimli had sagged to his knees at the foot of a table-top tomb, it's surface illuminated by a shaft of daylight from a hole far far up in the wall. This room too was littered with the long dead; lying scattered and unshrouded, presumably still where they had breathed their last. The grey man strode forward, past the sobbing dwarf, to the head of the tomb. "Here lies Balin, son of Fundin. Lord of Moria" he slowly took off his hat "He is dead then. It's as I feared" he looked around him, and down to the skeleton leaning against the tomb. It clutched a book and, thrusting his hat and staff at a hobbit hovering behind him, he reached now to take it.

Maon's mind was going numb, in defence to the overload of strangeness now surrounding her. She looked around, as one in a dream, at her companions. The dwarf Gimli was sobbing softly at the foot of the tomb. The grey man was moving to take a book from a dead man's grasp. Three of the other dwarves with the hairy feet had started to draw together, while the fourth was hovering by the grey man, clutching his hat and staff. The stocky man rested his hand on the kneeling dwarf's shoulder, looking around him warily. The lad with the bow fidgeted and moved to speak to Aragron, who was watching the grey man. "We must move on, we cannot linger"

"They have taken the bridge. And the second hall. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums. Drums in the deep. We cannot get out. The shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out." the man in grey looked up from the book. "They are coming"

There was a sound and the whole company, Maon included, snapped round to where it had come from. The dwarf holding the hat and staff stood in front of a now headless corpse who was seated on a well. With a groan noise, the rest of the corpse slipped back into the hole and started to clatter down.

The noise lasted on and on, the sound resounding all the louder for the silence from the company. With a final bang it ceased, and everyone seemed to draw breath again. The man in grey snapped shut the book still in his hands "Fool of a Took! Next time throw yourself down there and rid us of your stupidity." and turned away.

Drums. Drumming in the deep. Maon tensed. The others shifted and gasped, looking around them. She heard a chattering, yammering noise and suddenly her mind was frighteningly clear and focused. One of the dwarves looked at his companion "Frodo!" who drew the short sword at his side. It was glowing blue.

The noise grew louder. "Orcs!" said the blonde lad, gripping his bow. The stocky man rushed to the door and wheeled back as two black fletched arrows thudded into the door beside him. "Get back! Stay close to Gandalf!" Aragorn spoke to Maon and the hairy footed dwarves, and as one they drew back while Aragorn ran to the door, slamming it shut with the help of the stocky man. There was an angry roar, like a stallion before a fight. "They have a cave troll" the stocky man spoke drily. The three men barred the door and stepped back to the tomb.  
The grey man, Gandalf, drew his sword with a growl, the others following suit. Maon looked around her; her hand went to her pocket, which contained a small elderly flick-knife, kept there for sentimentality, and for cutting the twine on hay bales. _That's not going to help me here_  
The dwarf known as Gimli jumped onto the tomb he had only just been sobbing over. "Let them come! There is still one dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!"


	4. Chapter 4

Whatever it was that was going to attack them was battering the wood of the door. Swords and axes started appearing as the timber started to give way. Aragorn and the blonde lad had drawn their bows, and started to fire at the holes in the door. They must have hit their marks as the things screeched.

The doors burst inward and Maon shot backwards against the wall as these orc creatures ran at them. Grotesque in appearance, they yammered and screeched as they fought the men. The four dwarves Maon had stood by looked for a moment at the carnage, before yelling and joining the fray. Maon watched in horror, unnoticed by the attacking creatures. The roar they had heard previously echoed again and a huge humanoid beast lumbered into the room, lead by two of the orcs. _What the fuck is that?_

Maon looked around her, and saw one of the hairy footed dwarves was knocked by his attacker and his sword flew from his hand, skidding to a halt by Maons feet. Without thinking, she grabbed it and rushed to the unarmed dwarf's side. The attacking orc shrieked as she thrust the sword into its chest. She and the dwarve nodded at each other, as he drew a heavy iron frying pan from his pack and started belabouring the orcs around him with it. "Think I'm getting the hang of this!" he said.

Maon didn't have time to register it, but thoughts that weren't quite hers were echoing in her head. _**Parry, parry. Strike!**_ She obeyed the command dumbly, and felled the orcs that attacked her. She was dimly aware that big lumbering creature was chasing one of the small people, and everyone seemed to be trying to protect him. The man known as Aragorn suddenly flew past her, striking a wall and slumping down it.

There was a sudden gasp and groan, and everyone swung round to it's origin. The beast had thrust a spear into the chest of the dwarf _Frodo? _it was chasing, and his face was contorting as he struggled to draw breath. Maon's gaze lingered on the sight for too long and the sword was knocked from her hand. She was suddenly angry, very angry. She had been chased and harried from her own land into this weird world, where she was also being chased and harried. She jerked her knee up into the crotch of her attacker, who doubled forward automatically, and jerked it again into it's chin this time, bringing it's ugly face level for her to swing a punch into it. _**Behind**_ echoed the thought in her head, and she wheeled round to an approaching orc. She threw all her weight into a round house kick and there was an odd noise as her steel-toe capped boot connected with its skull. _I knew I should have stuck with Judo _she thought. She sensed movement behind her and spun round again, gabbing it's head and twisting hard, far harder than she had ever done before. There was a crack and she backed away from the corpse before her.

No more creatures leapt to attacked, and she looked around at the scene before her. The big creature _Cave troll, that's what the man called it _was staggering forward, dying now from an arrow in it's mouth. It landed with an earth shattering crash, and everyone rushed forward to the fallen dwarf.  
"oh no" murmured Aragorn, turning the body over. With a gasp, a cough and a splutter, the 'body' came back to life "he's alive!" gasped the dwarf who's sword Maon had borrowed. "I'm alright, I'm not hurt" said Frodo breathlessly "You should be dead, that spear would have skewered a wild boar!" Aragorn spoke incredulously. "I think there's more to this hobbit than meets the eye" Gandalf was smiling. _Hobbit? So that's what they are_ Maon registered. Her mind was going numb again. Frodo pulled his shirt open a little, revealing sparkling white metal in a chain-mail shirt. "Mithril" breathed Gimli. "You're full of surprises Mr Baggins" he said. Maon turned away from the scene, and her eyes lighted on the fallen sword she had recently wielded. She picked it up, wiping the blade on the cloth of a dead orc. Wordlessly, she took hold of the blade and turned to the hobbit it belonged to. He looked at her in surprise, and took it back. The company looked at her "So is our guest" Gandalf spoke now to Maon. "We have not long to tarry, but you must have a weapon. What do you use in your own land? " Maon blinked. "W-we don't use weapons.." she trailed off _**Do not linger.**_ _Hang on, I didn't think that_ Maon jerked her head back, trying to dislodge the thoughts that weren't hers. "You used that sword well enough" remarked Gimli.

"I had a bow at home" she ventured. Gandalf looked at Aragorn, who wordlessly slung his quiver off his shoulder and held that and the bow to Maon. A recurve, but she grasped it none the less. _**It is near.**_ The thought was in her head without the courtesy of passing her brain. She blinked and Gandalf looked at her intently, but the screeching and yammering returned. "To the bridge of Khazad-dum!"

The company ran from the room and started through the grand hall with it's pillars. The orcs were appearing from every shadow and corner, chasing them, hunting them. Maon gripped the bow tightly and reached for an arrow; she glanced up and saw the creatures scurrying down the pillars. Suddenly they could go no further, surrounded by the orcs. Maon nocked the arrow and drew the bow, aware that the blonde lad had done the same _Too little, too late, but we can go down fighting I suppose. _

There was a growl in the distance and suddenly the orcs shrieked and ran away from the group. As she slowly lowered the bow, images suddenly flashed through Maons mind **Fire. Shadow. A creature roaring anger and hate while wielding a cat-o-nine- tails made of fire.**  
"What is this new devilry?" The stocky man spoke now, warily, looking towards a huge doorway seemingly illuminated by fire. A deep rumbling noise emanated from it. **Hatred. Anger. Pain** the pain hit Maon like a punch to the head, and she staggered slightly. The man known as Aragorn glanced at her, taking her arm in an iron grip. _Oh yes, because I'm going to leg it now._ "A balrog. A demon of the ancient world." Gandalf spoke haltingly. "This foe is beyond any of you. Run!" At the final word he began running.

The growling noise grew stronger, louder and more resonate. They filtered through a doorway and Maon noted that Gandalf pushed everyone ahead of him. They came to huge cavern filled with long, narrow staircases. "Lead them on Aragorn. The bridge is near. Do as I say!" Maon heard Gandalf behind her. "Swords are no more use here"

They ran down the stairs as fast as they dared; a single slip would leave the unfortunate falling into an abyss below. They came to a point with a six foot break in stone stairs. Maon didn't break her stride and jumped the gap, turning to see the rest followed. She had leapt far greater when chased by far less, and the local thugs were beginning to seem like quite an attractive proposition. The blonde followed and turned also, beckoning for Gandalf.

An arrow whistled through the air and struck the broken stone of the step and Maon wheeled round, automatically drawing her borrowed bow. The anger that had powered her before flared up again and, spotting where the arrow had come from, she returned the favour _Take that you ugly bastard _she thought as the orc toppled from it's perch. There were more in the spot though and she took aim again, as did the blonde lad beside her. The stocky man grabbed hold of two of the hobbits and leapt the gap, the ancient stone beneath his feet crumbing as he took off.

Maon didn't focus on this, she focused purely on hitting her targets high above. She was vaguely aware of another hobbit and the dwarf joining them on the right side of the hole, and very aware that she was running out of arrows._ When I stop for more then 5 minutes I'm going to really regret using this bow without an arm guard. _The deep growling rumble behind them echoed again, and the cavern shook. Glancing behind, she saw the stonework beneath other hobbit and Aragorn had crumbled. "Lean forward!" she heard him command the hobbit. With a groan the stonework swayed forwards to meet them, giving the two the chance to join the rest of the group, and they resumed running.  
Presently they came to a narrow stone bridge, so narrow they could only cross it single file. One the other side, they turned almost as one back to the bridge. A huge creature, made of fire and shadow stood before Gandalf. "You shall not pass!" "Gandalf!" cried the hobbit beside Maon.  
The beast roared it's anger at the man, and cracked a whip that seemed to be made of fire.  
"I am the Servant of the Secret Fire. Wielder of the Flame of Anor." Gandalf had drawn himself up tall, brandishing both his staff and his sword "The dark fire will not avail you. Flame of Udûn!" The staff flared light so bright it burned Maon's eyes to look. The demonic being roared again, and brought it's sword crashing down through the air to the wizard. Light flared again and the beast bellowed in rage as it's sword was wrenched from it's grasp by unseen power. "Go back to the shadow" Gandalf's voice held disgust and disdain in equal measure, and the Balrog stepped forward onto the bridge. "You shall not pass!" Gandalf roared, bringing his staff up and ramming it down upon the bridge beneath him. The creature took another step onto the narrow span, and the stonework gave way beneath it's feet.

The beast fell with a roar into the yawning chasm below and Gandalf looked down after it for a moment, looking weary and aged. He turned and the suddenly a flick of fire wrapped itself around his leg jerking him down. He clung to the edge of the bridge, and Maon found herself being restrained from moving by the blonde lad behind her. "Fly you fools" spoke the old man, and with that he released his grip, following his quarry into the darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

Arrows started flying at the company after a moment and Maon found herself running up a small flight of stairs out into bright daylight on a rocky plain, high on a hill. She stood, blinking and watched dumbly as grief took its toll on those around her.

Aragorn wiped his sword clean on a cloth and sheathed it. "Legolas, get them up" "Give them a moment for pity's sake!" The stocky man leapt to his feet angrily, though Maon recognised it as anger born of sorrow. "By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs!" retorted Aragorn "We must reach the woods of Lothlorien" he gestured over his shoulder.

"Come Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, get them up" He moved over to one of the Hobbits and half helped, half dragged him up. "On your feet sam" . Maon saw one hobbit walking off slowly and she gestured wordlessly towards him, catching Aragorns eye. "Frodo!" He turned called out to the hobbit, who stopped and very slowly turned back towards them and Maon felt her heart jerk as she saw the tracks of tears and the pain of hearbreak scored into his face.

They travelled most of the day with very little incident and no talk. Aragorn kept them moving at a brisk pace and Maon got the distinct impression that if he could have persuaded them to run he would have done. They finally reached the cover of the trees and were allowed to slow.

"Stay close young hobbits, they say a great sorceress lives in these woods" Gimli spoke to the hobbits Frodo and Sam "an elf witch of terrible power"

'_Frodo' _Maon looked around for the voice that had spoken, and saw Frodo looking equally confused "And all who look upon her, fall under her spell.." Gimli was continuing and Maon realized that only Frodo and herself had heard the voice, _' your coming to us is as the footsteps of doom' _ "...and are never seen again."

'_You bring great evil here, ring bearer' _Frodo stopped dead in his tracks. "Mr Frodo?" Sam asked. Maon shivered. She didn't think that was something she was supposed to have heard. Gimli grasped his axe firmly and continued heedless "Well here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox! Oh.." He stopped as a selection of arrows were held an inch or so from his nose. Maon found herself looking down the shaft of an arrow and into the expressionless face of a blonde archer. She glanced around; they were surrounded.

A blonde man with a disdainful sneer stepped forward " The dwarf breaths so loud we could have shot him in the dark".

They were led deep into the forest and to a treetop platform. The one who had sneered at Gimli was clearly the captain of the archers and he addressed the blonde lad of their company. ". Mingovanin legolas thranduil" _**Welcome Legolas, son of Thranduil.**_ Maon blinked as the language was translated for her without the assistance of her own mind. "Govan nas en gweneth, Haldir o Lorien" _**Our fellowship is in your debt, Haldir of Lorien. **_Maon pinched the bridge of her nose _This is not normal_, she thought. The one known as Haldir moved onto Aragorn next. "Ah Aragorn en Dunedain. Ist stanin e manin" _**Aragorn of Dunedain. You are known to us.**_ Gimli was clearly getting nervous by the presence of all the archers _Elves? A backstory behind the two perhaps_. "So much for the legendary courtesy of the elves, speak words we can all understand!" The blonde man turned slowly and looked at Gimli with disgust. "We have not had dealings with the the dwarves since the dark days" "Well you know what this dwarf says to that? Ish kakwee i duroo g loorl." Halidirs face froze and Aragorn shut his eyes for a moment before clamping a warning hand on Gimli's shoulder. " That was not so courteous." Maon realised that the dwarfish Gimli had spoken hadn't been translated _So this little jiminy cricket in my head is a prude? Well of course, because that makes as much sense as anything else._

Halidir turned from the dwarf and his eyes alighted on Frodo. "You bring great evil with you" he spoke slowly, almost fearfully. Then he swung round to Aragorn "you can go no further".

They spent the next hour sat on the platform waiting. Aragorn had dragged Haldir away and was speaking rapidly in the language Maon now gathered was Elvish. She leaned back against the trunk of tree, crossing her arms as she did so. She gritted her teeth as she did so, and glanced down at her left arm where a bruise was starting to come through where the string from her borrowed bow had hit her skin. _Bloody bow-bites. _She felt a gaze on her and glanced up, seeing Legolas regarding her thoughtfully. She held his gaze and he looked away. She rolled down her sleeves slowly _not the time to be considered a weak woman. _She looked around and saw how the rest of the fellowship kept looking at Frodo, then looking away as soon as he looked back. _Poor bugger, I know that feeling._ "Gandalf's death was not in vain, nor would he have you give up hope." Boromir spoke to Frodo "You carry a heavy burden Frodo. Don't carry the weight of the dead."

Haldir suddenly swung before them with. " You will follow me"

After some hours on winding paths, Haldir lead them to the top of a slope and paused, smiling at the view before him. He waited until they had all caught up and then spoke "Caras heart of Elvendom on earth. Realm of Lord Celeborn, and Galadriel, Lady of Light"

They were led into another forest, one with mighty trees that soared high and blocked the sun. There was light from other sources though, that turned what would otherwise have been a sepulchral cavern into a forest at dawn. They were lead up a staircase that wound it's way up one of the trees, passing platforms at different levels. _A city in the trees_ Maon thought. Eventually they can to what appeared to be a hall made from the very tree itself, branches trained into the shape of a building.

They were made to stand at the foot of a staircase, down which descended a couple bathed in an unearthly glow. Aragorn let out the softest sigh and averted his eyes, and Legolas stood ramrod straight while the rest of the fellowship, Maon included, stared in awe_. These must be Galadriel and Celeborn _Maon thought.

"The enemy knows you have entered here. What hope you had in secrecy is now gone. Tell me where is Gandalf, for I much desire to speak with him." Celeborn spoke with calm authority " I can no longer see him from afar. "

Galadriel was looking at Aragorn "Gandalf the grey did not pass the borders of this land. He has fallen into shadow." Her voice was deeper then Maon expected. "he was taken by both shadow and flame" replied Legolas slowly "A Balrog of Morgoth. For we went needlessly into the net of Moria" Gimli looked at his feet and Maon wanted to reach out and slap Legolas. _That sentence was needless, prat._ Galadriel looked directly at Maon for a minute, a smile playing at her lips, before looking back at Gimli. "Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life, we do not yet know his full purpose. Do not let the great emptiness of khazad dum fill your heart Gimli, son of Gloin, for the world has grown full of peril and in all lands love is now mingled with grief."

She looked at Boromir, who flinched and looked down.

Celeborn looked squarely at Maon and she tilted her chin up and held his gaze. Her Godfather had told her never to be cowed down by anyone and she wasn't going to start now. "9 are here, though 9 set out from Rivendell. Who is this" Maon's eyes narrowed "One who will fullfill an oath taken long ago" Galadriel spoke_. 'You stand between worlds Maon, belonging to neither until your choice is made'_ Galadriel was now looking at Maon, who turned to her "I have taken no oath Lady" Maon spoke clearly and she felt the fellowships collective gaze at her back "You bear the blood of one who did. You walk this path in his stead" Galadriel looked away from her.

"The quest stands upon the edge of a knife, stray but a little and it will fail to the ruin of all." Galdriels words resonated with grimness, yet now she smiled and looked towards Sam "Yet hope remains while the company is true. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest, for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight you will sleep under the guard of the Galadhrim" She looked away but Maon saw her sidelong gaze land squarely on Frodo 

They were led away back to the forest floor and given blankets and bedding with which to set up a comfortable camp. Maon went off for a walk, Gimli was asleep in minutes while Aragorn sat nearby, sharpening his sword. The hobbits were all bedding down when singing was heard in the trees high above them and Legolas looked up "A lament for Gandalf" "what do they say about him?" asked Merry. "I have not the heart to tell you. For me the grief is still too near."

Sam was setting up his bed. "I bet they don't mention his fireworks, they should have a verse about them." He paused for a minute then stood up "The finest rockets ever seen, they burst in stars of blue and green or after thunder, silver showers.." Gimli let out a snore and Aragorn thumped him. "..came falling like a rain of flowers." Sam flumped down embarrassed "Oh thats doesn't do them justive by a long road." He muttered.

Gimli snored again and Aragorn stood up. He glanced around and walked over to where he saw Boromir sat hunched up. "Take some rest, these borders are well protected."

Maon was returning when she across the two men. She froze and drew slightly back into the shadow of a tree as she realised that what she was hearing wasn't meant for her ears.

" I will find no rest here" Boromir bit off. Aragorn looked keenly at him "I heard her voice inside my head. She spoke of my father and the fall of Gondor. She said to me even now there is hope left, but I cannot see it. It is long since we had any hope." Aragorn looked concerned and sat next to Boromir. "My father is a noble man, but his rule is failing, and our people lose faith. He looks to me to make things right it and I would do it. I would see the glory of Gondor restored." He paused, the desperation in his voice turning now to wistfulness. "Have you ever seen it Aragorn? The white tower of Ecthelion glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver, it's banners caught high by the morning breeze. Have you ever been called home by the clear ringing of silver trumpets.." His voice tailed off and he looked round at Aragorn. Aragorn looked saddened "I have seen the white city, long ago."

"One day our paths will lead us there, and the tower guard shall take up the call: the lords of Gondor have returned." Boromir looked as though he desperately wanted to believe his words but couldn't quite. Aragorn managed a small smile and rested his hand briefly on Boromir's shoulder. "Take some rest. It is a long way to Gondor" Boromir smiled back and nodded, rising and joining the rest of the group.

Aragorn looked around and caught Maon's gaze as she stepped away from the tree, and she flushed slightly and cast her eyes down. She stepped forward and made to hurry past, but Aragorn caught her wrist as she past. "You did well today." He watched her face intently, but she didn't move to look at him. Legolas had seen her flinch when crossing her arms, and drawn it to his attention. She had shot that bow without guards and both knew it would have bruised her, and badly, but she hadn't mentioned it. In fact, other than the words she had spoken to Galadriel, she hadn't said a word since they had left the mine. Watching the tense line of her jaw, he realised that she wasn't going to say anything voluntarily. "Your arm. Show me" just for a second, although she hadn't changed positions, she froze hard. Living skin became stone. He let her right arm go and stood up, and then she flinched to life, stepping back from him and looking up to meet his eyes. But rather then fear, as he expected, she regarded him calmly. With a sigh she rolled her sleeve up and held her arm out to him, never looking away. He took her arm gently and examined the nasty bruise that marred her skin from just above the elbow right through to her wrist. "The elves will have something to heal that, and I'm sure they can furnish you with a guard for the future" She shrugged, managing to communicate through it that it didn't matter to her one way or the other. He let her go and stepped aside. "I will see what they have"

Much later, when all the fellowship were asleep, Maon woke up. She had never needed much sleep at the best of times. She flexed her arm, surpised to note that the bruise was already half gone, just a mark on her skin rather then something that hurt. She got up and walked quietly off, and started when she saw Frodo following the Lady Galadriel. She followed too, and stood at the top of flight of stairs, watching the scene below her.

"Will you look into the mirror?" Galdriel asked stood before Frodo, holding a tall silver ewer. "What will i see?" He asked cautiously. Galadriel poured the water into the basin before her. "Even the wiset cannot tell. For the mirror shows may things, things that were, things that are, and some things that have not yet come to pass."

Frodo leaned forward and looked cautiously into the water, and suddenly seemed gripped by an unseen force. From her vantage point Maon saw a chain slide free of his shirt and caught a glimpse of a golden ring seemingly pull him towards the water. He struggled against the unseen force, gripping the chain and the ring and hurling himself backwards. Galadriel had not moved during any of this.

"I know what it is you saw for it is also in my mind" Maon leaned backwards and prepared to walk away when she heard Galadriel's voice in her head _'it is what shall come to pass if should you fail. The fellowship is breaking. It is already begun. He will try to take the ring. You know of whom i speak. One by one it will destroy them all' _

Maon frowned_, I'm sure I'm not supposed to have heard that_, and turned back to see what was going on.

Frodo was stood before her, holding out the ring on the flat of his palm, and Galadriel was walking towards him with her hand outstretched "You offer it to me freely. I cannot deny that my heart has greatly desired this" She threw her arms out and seemed to transform before their eyes " In place of a dark lord you would have a queen. Not dark but beautiful and terrible as the dawn! Treacherous as the sea! Stronger then the foundations of the earth! All shall love me and despair"fallen

The glamour faded and she seemed to shrink down, looking shocked. Maon wanted to run but found she couldn't move.

"I passed the test. I will diminish and go into the west and remain Galadriel." Frodo sounded crestfallen as he spoke "I cannot do this alone." Galadriel looked at him, not unkindly. "You are a ring-bearer Frodo. To bear a ring of power is to be alone" She raised her right and Maon could see a ring glitter on it. "This is Nenya, the ring of adamant. And I am its keeper." She lowered her hand. "This task was appointed to you, and if you do not find a way no one will." Frodo seemed to sag and look down, and his voice was on the verge of cracking. "Then I know what I must do." He regarded Galadriel "Its just, I'm afraid to do it." Galadriel smiled fully at him and leaned forward. "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future"


End file.
